The Love They Share
by heartslogos
Summary: Partner story to "Let it Be Me". Zeus felt like an intruder when he watched the two part. The love, the understanding, the pain in their eyes. It was enough to make anyone shamed. Everyone except Demeter. It made him feel guilty. It made him feel shame.


**Disclaimer:** You can't own a God or Goddess. Really. Just _no._

* * *

Truly, I felt bad for my brother.

On one hand, did Hades not deserve happiness? Love? To not be alone? Light? Peace for his heart, his soul?

On the other, people were _dying_. I cannot, will not, and will never, sacrifice my people for one person, even if that person is a God.

Yes, I am the ruler of all of heaven and earth. Yes, all creatures must bow to my whims. Yes, all Gods and Goddesses are my subjects. Yes, I could have let Persephone decide, and yes I knew who she would pick.

Persephone would pick Hades.

I also knew –yes, I knew, how could I not know?- that it was my Aphrodite –oh, Aphrodite I'm sorry for making you feel so guilty, but you cannot stand for him- who shot the arrow.

But I did not stand and stop the trial. No. I did not.

If I had ruled in favor of justice, in favor of truth, in favor of love, in favor of Aphrodite, Persephone, and Hades, I am sure that Demeter would have destroyed. So no matter how much it pained me I let her have her way.

That's what I tell myself. That's how I try to justify the pain I have imposed upon my brother, my elder brother.

It's a poor excuse.

Standing here, watching the two separate –he with his heavy robes of black and his crown of silver, she in her delicate drapes of red and wreath of lilies, watching each other, just wanting to run away, to just run and never stop running- is torture. For them, for me, for anyone watching. Anyone but Demeter.

I wonder how Hades and Persephone can take it. Being separated, never being able to rest, completely at peace with the other. Then just as things calm to have to separate once again. I wonder why they don't hate her, don't go against her. I know I would. I know I would have fought, fought for everything I had to be with the one I love. As they hold hands, grip slipping as Demeter draws her daughter away; a vindictive look of poisonous joy in her eyes, the hope, and the sheer _will _gleaming in their eyes is enough to make everyone there turn away in shame.

Yes, shame.

Poseidon turns in shame for being unable to help, to console his brother.

Aphrodite turns in shame for being the cause of such pain. Her children, Eros and Anteros bury their faces in their mother's robes, terribly saddened and disturbed by the expressions on Hades' and Demeter's faces.

Ares frowns and clenches his fists as he averts his eyes, shamed that for all this strength he is powerless before the love and courage the two show.

Athena lowers her head and closes her eyes, shamed that for all her wisdom there is nothing she can do to change what has happened here.

Artemis turns, shamed that she cannot understand the love the two share, shamed for not wanting to when there are two people right in front of her who hold it in their hands so desperately.

Apollo turns with her, shamed that for all his medicines and burning glory he cannot warm the cold days the two will have separated from the other. Yes, it is winter when they are together, but when they are apart only a fool, or Demeter, would see that they are cold on the inside.

Dionysus, for once is silent and not smiling, he turns his face in shame. For his fruits come from Persephone, his wine and joy and frolicking are the fruits of her pain.

Hera turns, shamed that she is powerless to stop what is going on before her.

I, Zeus -the strong and mighty King of Gods- turn out of shame for condoning this, for _enforcing_ this pain and shame upon us all.

A voice from the inner parts of my mind sneers at me, _You did it anyway. You think he can handle it. Just like he can handle everything you don't want to touch. You're a coward. Such a weak coward._

I agree. It makes me sick to agree, but I do.

It's so easy to manage the living. Perform miracles, show your wrath, be wonderful to them and they love you.

But the dead? You have to close your ears to their pain and give them the truth of what they deserve. You have to seal yourself away from the light. You have to protect the living from the dead and the dead from the living without ever wavering.

I could never do that. I'm not strong enough, not strong like Hades is. I can break and tear and shatter. I can roar and I can destroy. But could I harden myself to the plights of others, willingly? No. I can be ignorant, I can avoid truth. But once faced with it, I could never ignore it. If I had been in charge of hell no one would suffer for their crimes. That's not right. People would be revived all the time. That's not right either. The land of the living is for the land of the living, the land of the dead is for the land of the dead. I am not nearly as iron clad in my heart to be able to enforce that, except in theory.

Sometimes I wish Hades wouldn't be so understanding, so complacent. I wish he would fight Demeter and take back his love.

But he won't. He knows he would win. He knows Persephone would willingly come with him. He knows that none of us would interfere. He knows that he's in the _right._ But he doesn't fight.

But Demeter fights. Every time Persephone returns to the Underworld it's a fight to get Demeter to release her. It's horrible, Demeter rages like a spoiled brat, holding her daughter back, screaming profanities and raging against Hades. He just stands there next to his chariot, just outside the gates. He waits. He only has eyes for Persephone, and she him. They lock eyes and everything else is lost to them. There is love in their eyes. Always love. And there is always something else.

I see the pain in their eyes.

Pain, knowing that it's temporary. Their love will never be permanent. It's only _for now_. Something Demeter stresses all the time. _For now, just for now, then you'll be back with mother again. I love you darling, but for now put up with it._

I want to strike her when she speaks like that. Doesn't she realize? Persephone is putting up with _you_, because _you_ –we- are the _for now_. Her life starts when she runs to his arms, her life ends when you –we- rip her from them.

Watching them unite and part, it is like watching the most intimate scenes of life. Only Demeter does not avert her eyes. It feels like we are intruding when we look at them. Their eyes are for each other alone.

And we are intruding.

He -as he holds out his hands to her as she continues to reach for him as Demeter pulls her away- bites his cheek, she –as Demeter mutters words of hate towards him and love towards her, all the while ripping her from the ones she loves- struggles not to cry. The longing in their eyes, the promise of reuniting again, the heart wrenching pain as they finally turn away from the other. He stands there, at the opening of Heaven by his chariot as Demeter escorts her daughter to us. Persephone's eyes are closed and we all see it, except Demeter –proud woman she is-, the mental countdown until they reunite turning on in both their minds.

The gates of Heaven close.

And once again, Hades is left out.

It is time for spring. It is time for love, everywhere but where it's needed most.


End file.
